Chapter 10 - Internet

Assignments

Reading: Chapter 15 (Global Media) for Tuesday Nov. 4

No quiz - I forgot to hand it out in class.

Blog 5: Topic -- Ideas for Class Report/Presentation.The assignment is to •Investigate an idea or practice in any form of mass media that you have become curious about
–Can be controversial or not
–Must be interesting
•Use research and critical thinking
•Write a report and deliver a presentation that will teach our class about what you have discovered

All that's due now is the topic. You can include two or three ideas in your blog post. I will respond to the post and then on Tuesday you will bring in a hard copy -- handwritten OK. 

History of the internet from Malone Media Group

In class, we discussed the Internet -- History, video gaming, interpersonal/group/mass communication aspects, convergence, reverse synergy, hacking, crowdfunding, memes and legacy and online media. We looked at this interactive infographic about the worldwide digital divide. Less than 25 percent of the world has Internet. In the U.S., 78.3 percent have access to the Internet.

Chapter 9 - Television

Music and Talk 

Assignments

Bring to class Thursday: Quiz 9 (Television) take-home. 

Reading: Chapter 10 (Internet) for Thursday Oct. 30

Blog 4: Topic will be ideas for the Research Paper. I will post the topic and we will discuss it in class Thursday.

Pie graphs from the 2014 Hollywood Diversity Report

In class, we discussed:

The history of TV - Cathode ray tubes, color, cable, recording devices, satellite, "pulling the cord." Decency and ratings. Diversity issues -- racial and ethnic minorities, LGBT etc. 

After class, I found this report from UCLA:  2014 Hollywood Diversity Report. The report uses content analysis to measure diversity in TV and movie casts, and also discusses minorities in roles such as director and producer. It would be a good source to use in your research paper, depending on the topic.

Chapter 8 - Movies

Assignments:

Bring to class Tuesday: Quiz 8 (Movies) take-home. 

Reading: Chapter 9 (Television) for Tuesday Oct. 28

Blog 4: Movie or song - new and old favorites

Write 2-3 sentences about your favorite movie of 2013-14 and why you liked it. Write 1-2 more sentences about your all-time favorite movie and why you like it. In which format(s) did you first see these movies? Add a user-friendly link to the movie in RottenTomatoes.com. Find and embed a trailer for one or both of the movies.      

OR

Write 2-3 sentences about your favorite sound recording (song) of 2013-2014 and why you like it. Write 1-2 more sentences about your favorite oldie and why you like it. In which format(s) did you first hear these recordings? Add or embed user-friendly links to Amazon.com, YouTube.com or other sites where others can listen to your recordings (or samples).

In class, we discussed:

The history of movies; effects including emotional, imitation and cultural/social; censorship/MPAA ratings, theaters vs. other formats. What I didn't get to show in class: videos about movie cliches and product placement.

Chapter 7 - Audio

Music and Talk 

Assignments

Bring to class Thursday: Quiz 7 (Audio) take-home. If you don't turn it in Thursday, you can make it up when we have quiz makeups after Chapter 8

Reading: Chapter 8 (Movies) for Thursday Oct. 23

Blog 4: Topic will be audio or movie. I will post it and discuss in class Thursday.

We discussed in class:

The history of recorded sounds and transmissions, back to the telegraph and Thomas Edison. We looked at format war winners and losers. I talked about the history of rock'n'roll as a meeting point of rhythm & blues and hillbilly music. We watched Elvis Presley sing "Hound Dog" and swing his hips in a way that was disturbing to some people back in the 1950s. Here's a video that compares Elvis and Michael Jackson dancing.

Students discussed the radio stations or Internet or satellite radio they listen to, and the issue of piracy.

Here's the movie "The Last Signals" about the Titanic's telegraph operators that I wanted to show a clip from. I will add this to pre-approved movies for the extra-credit Movie Report.

Chapter 6 - Newspapers and the News

Reflections of a Democratic Society

 

Assignments

Bring to class Tuesday: Quiz 6 (Newspapers) take-home. If you don't turn it in Thursday, you can make it up when we have quiz makeups after Chapter 8

Reading: Chapter 7 (Audio) for Tuesday Oct. 21

Blog 3: Magazine Proposal (due Sunday Oct. 19 midnight)Write a proposal for a new magazine (either a print magazine or an online magazine), as if you were going to submit it to a publisher. Your proposal should include:

Former JOUR 2 student's magazine proposal

·         Name of magazine

·         Concept – how is your magazine different from existing magazines?

·         Readers – demographics and psychographics (may include age group, gender, ethnicity, income level, interests, attitudes, self-image, self-identification, etc.)

·         Other magazines serving this demographic/psychographic (your competition) – your investors will want to know how your magazine is different or better?

·         Five advertisers who you think would like to reach your readers

·         Five articles you might include in your premier issue -- These can be the "cover lines" highlighted on the cover -- see Hanson textbook p. 117)

·         Draw (or create electronically) your proposed cover, including the name of the magazine and highlighting top articles, and post it on your blog and/or bring it to class. Stick figures are OK. Here's a template to create a cover electronically.  You can also use PhotoShop, InDesign, etc.
 
ALSO:  Comment on your tablemates' Blog 2 posts (Books). Did you learn anything? Have anything in common? Agree or disagree with specific points?
 

We discussed in class:

The history of newspapers, the future of newspapers, De Anza College paper La Voz. You can see the front page of many newspapers throughout the world at http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/

Chapter 5 - Magazines

The Power of Words and Images

Assignments

Bring to class Thursday: Quiz 5 (Magazines) take-home. If you don't turn it in Thursday, you can make it up when we have quiz makeups after Chapter 8

Reading: Chapter 6 (Newspapers and the News) for Thursday Oct. 16

Blog 3: Magazine Proposal (due Sunday Oct. 19 midnight)

Sample student magazine (Kerry Prowse, 2012)

Write a proposal for a new magazine (either a print magazine or an online magazine), as if you were going to submit it to a publisher. Your proposal should include:

·         Name of magazine

·         Concept – how is your magazine different from existing magazines?

·         Readers – demographics and psychographics (may include age group, gender, ethnicity, income level, interests, attitudes, self-image, self-identification, etc.)

·         Other magazines serving this demographic/psychographic (your competition) – your investors will want to know how your magazine is different or better?

·         Five advertisers who you think would like to reach your readers

·         Five articles you might include in your premier issue -- These can be the "cover lines" highlighted on the cover -- see Hanson textbook p. 117)

·         Draw (or create electronically) your proposed cover, including the name of the magazine and highlighting top articles, and post it on your blog and/or bring it to class. Stick figures are OK. Here's a template to create a cover electronically.  You can also use PhotoShop, InDesign, etc.
ALSO:  Comment on your tablemates' Blog 2 posts (Books). Did you learn anything? Have anything in common? Agree or disagree with specific points?
 

We discussed in class:

The history of magazines, controversies such as body images of men and women and the importance of demographics and psychographics. 

MAGAZINE COVERS:  You can find out what was on the cover of Time the week of your birthday  here.

Chapter 4 - Books

Assignments

Reading: Chapter 5 (Magazines) for Tuesday Oct. 14

Blog 2: Books (due Sunday Oct. 12 midnight)

Discuss three books you have read that had the most influence on you and/or are controversial for some reason. In 2-3 sentences, describe why each one was influential and/or controversial. Write in more detail than saying, “It was good” or “it made me laugh.” Say why it was good or made you laugh, how it stayed with you after you read it and/or your opinion about the controversy. Add friendly links to the books on Amazon.com or another online bookseller, or authors’ websites.  

We discussed in class: 

Chapter 4 - Books. We talked about the history of writing, paper and printing; influential books and banned books. Here's a video (not seen in class) about some surprising children's books banned, including the Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland and Winnie the Pooh:

Here's another video about banned books:

Chapter 3 - The Media Business

Assignments

Reading: Chapter 4 (books) for Thursday Oct. 9

Blog 2: Books (due Sunday Oct. 12 midnight)

Discuss three books you have read that had the most influence on you and/or are controversial for some reason. In 2-3 sentences, describe why each one was influential and/or controversial. Write in more detail than saying, “It was good” or “it made me laugh.” Say why it was good or made you laugh, how it stayed with you after you read it and/or your opinion about the controversy. Add friendly links to the books on Amazon.com or another online bookseller, or authors’ Websites.  

We discussed in class: 

Chapter 3 - The Media Business. Mass media producers in the U.S. are mostly businesses. We discussed media ownership -- because of consolidation, only a few large companies own most media sources, which limits diversity of opinion and creative outlets. FreePress.net is an organization that keeps track of media ownership, and advocates against consolidation and for issues such as net neutrality. It keeps an up-to-date media ownership chart.

Large media companies use synergy and vertical integration to their benefit, just like companies in other lines of business.

We talked about the "Long Tail" theory and how it affects Internet retailing of media such as music and video, and content production, e.g. crowdfunding as opposed to trying to get a big media company to produce your movie. Here's a basic "Long Tail" chart.

Chapter 2 - Mass Comm Effects

Assignments:

Due Tuesday Oct. 7 - Take home Chapter 2 quiz. If you were not in class today or if you forget to bring in the quiz on Thursday, you will be able to do a make-up quiz (later in the quarter).

Also for Tuesday - read Chapter 3 - The Media Business. What's important: All learning objectives (p. 49) except "Name and explain the major media companies in the United States." You do not need to memorize the names of the major companies or what each company owns.

Blog comments - due Sunday midnight. Respond to classmates' Media Autobiographies (their blogs from last week). These are the classmates at your table, not the whole class. Your response may include differences or similarities with your own Media Autobiography, something that resonated with you, or something you learned. Two to three sentences recommended.
 

We discussed in class: 

Chapter 2  - Mass Communication Effects - very dense chapter looks at many ways that people study mass media and their effects on society.

• Wikileaks as an example of how "new media" (instant availability of e-documents) can be a game-changer (challenge to government and traditional journalism).
• How media effects research began.
• How researchers look at different media effects: message, medium, ownership and active audience.  
• Theories of media and society including functional analysis, agenda setting, uses and gratifications, social learning, spiral of silence, media logic and cultivation analysis.
• George Gerbner's theory of the Mean World Syndrome.
• How news media may have a liberal or conservative bias, and journalism tends to adhere to and perpetuate certain values (which can be good or bad): ethnocentrism, altruistic democracy, responsible capitalism, small-town pastoralism, individualism, moderatism, social order and leadership.